Washing-machine



A. HOFMANNI WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9. 1918.

1,34Q,543. P tented May 18,1920.

2 SHETSSHEET 1.

. 5 \}nm55 h] 5 j Imam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED HOFMANN, 0F ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 18, 19 20.

Application filed August 9, 1918. Serial No. 249,042..

,hereby declare the following .to be a ull, clear, and exact description of the 1 vention, such as will enable others skilled the art to which it appertains to. make a (1 use the same, reference being had to the a companying drawings, and to letters of eference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Known machines for washing laundry goods in which the goods are moved in drums in reciprocating manner in the direction of the periphery, or shifted in other containers, are open to the objection that the washing is not sufliciently vigorous, the process therefore is of too long duration whereby the goods are damaged, since the friction against the walls of the drum tears the threads.

This objection is avoided by the present invention which relates to a mechanical washing process and a machine therefor whereby goods can be rapidly washed with the greatest possible amount of protection and with use of a minimum quantity of washing liquor and fuel.

The new process efi'ects this object by subjecting the goods to a rolling action on themselves, several times repeated in succession, and at the same time to pressure, to a release from this pressure and a partial turning movement; while in the unpressed condition the goods are sprinkled from above with washing liquor which, after it has penetrated through the goods and a pervious band which carries them, flows back to a tank where it is again heated and whence it is again raised to the container for the goods.

In its simplest form the machine is suitable for household use, in a form which comprises several containers for the goods, the machine is suitable for hotels, hospitals and other institutions.

The accompanying drawings show two constructions, Figures 1, 2 and 3 being a cross section, a side elevation and a longitudinal section respectively of one construction, and Figs. 6 and 7 an end view and a front elevation respectively of. the other construction.

Figs. 4, 5 and 8 show detail views.

The container 1 for the goods (Fig. 1) is formed in part by the end wells 2 of the sheet metal trough 3 and in part by an endless band 4. T e endless band consists of cylindrical rods 5 (Figs. 4 and 5) linked together by eyes 6 'in which they can rotate, narrow spaces between the rods being left free for passage of the washing liquor. The goods are introduced into and removed from the container 1 through an opening- 8 which can be closed by a cover 7 The two chains of eyes rest on the one hand on rollers 9 fixed on a shaft 8 journaled in the trough 3 and on the other hand on driving wheels 11 fixed on a second shaft 10. On a shaft 12 journaled in the trough 3 are mounted a two-armed hand lever 13 outside the trough 3 and two one-armed band press- 111g levers 1% inside the trough. The latter are for the purpose of pressing on the chain of eyes and thus moving the freely suspended part of the chain of rods into the presslng position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,

as will be hereinafter described. The part of the chain of rods which is not freely-suspended travels between inner rails 15 fiked in the trough at suitable distances apart, one above the other, and an outer rail 16 upon which the chain of rods is supported.

The shorter arm of the hand lever 13. is connected by link 17 with a piston pump 19 placed in a longitudinally arranged tank 18, which pump forces the liquor into a perforated horizontal spraying pipe 20, mounted in the upper part of the container 1 as a continuation of a rising pipe 20 The bottom of the trough is in communication through an opening 21 with the tank 18. The liquor in the tank 18 can be heated by means of a burner 22 placed beneath the tank. On the hub of the hand lever 13 is mounted at right angles to the lever an arm 23 connected by a rod 24 with a pawl lever 25 mounted free on the shaft 10 and carrying a pawl 26. The latter engages a ratchet wheel 27 keyed onthe shaft 10. By means of this machine the process is effected as follows By turning the lever 13 (Fig. 2) to the the freely suspended portion of the chain of rods ispressed toward the portion which is not freely suspended and the goods saturated with the washing liquor are pressed together and squeezed against the rails 15 and the supported part of the chain of rods. In this manner when the pressing levers 14 are raised, the easily rotatable rods 5 move the goods so that they roll upon themselves, during which movement the rods .5, Owing to their rotation, give rise to only a-srnall amount of friction on the goods, the action produced being similar to washing by hand.

The liquor expressed escapes between the rods 5 into the trough 3 and-flows back into,

the tank 18 to be put in circulation again. When pressure on the hand lever 13 is released the levers. 14 return'automatically to the original position owing to their weight and the weight of the raised freely suspended part of the chain of rods and of the goods resting thereon. If necessary, the return may be assisted by slight power applied to lever 13. .On the return stroke of. lever 13 the ratchet'wheel 27 and with it the chain of rods 4 is moved forward to a certain extent and the goods are thereby to some extent reversed or turned so that at the next stroke of the pressing levers 14 another part of the goods is subjected to the washing operation. On the return stroke of the lever 13 a part of the washing liquor is forced by pump 19 into the rising pipe 20 and thus sprayed on tothe loosely lying goods 28. The operation is then repeated by a second stroke of thelever 13. It will be seen from the above that the process constitutes an operation similar to washing by hand, that the goods are not submerged in a bath of washing liquor and that the particles of dirt separated by pressure are washed away from the goods. This dirt collects on the surface of the liquor in the tank 18 and may be removed as froth from time to time through an opening 18 at the top of said tank-Fig. 3. In comparison with, the washing process as hitherto known,

in which the goods are immersed in a bath of liquor-the quantity of liquor necessary is very much smaller which is a considerable advantage in respect of economy in soap and in fuel required for heating the liquor. The new washing process is very vigorous and therefore occupies only a short time; the wear of the goods is reduced to a minimum.

1 he washing machine for larger installations shown in Figs. -6 and 7 consists of two washing troughs 3 3 one above the other, having pressing and turning chains to those in Fig. 1 and not here shown. Each trough is carried by a pair of beams 29, each pair being journaled in the frame 30 of till? machine to turn about an axis 31. The 0 er ends of the beams 29 are adjustable in the frame and can be fixed in position b means of screws 33 working in slots 32. The upper troughv 3 is inclined. toward the right, the lower 3 toward the left, and they are connected to other b a pipe 34. The trough 3 has a feeding opper 35 and the trough 3? a dischargeopening 36 for the goods 28. For-each trough there is a separate tank 18 18 with a pump'19, 19 for the washing liquor. The rislng pipe .20 conducts the liquor from one of'the tanks 18 into the container for the goods in the upper trough. 3 and the descending pipe 37 c nducts .the liquor back from this trough into the tank 18 From the tank 18 a rising pipe 20 'conducts the liquor from tank 18 into the container for the goods in the lower trough 3 and a short pipe 37 conducts the liquor back from this trough into I rods 15. *A gear wheel 43 on the shaft 40 I drives a gear wheel 45 on a counter-shaft 44. The latter carries a crank disk 46, on the pin 46 of which are mounted two 2 part connecting rods 7 7 (Fig.8). Each of these rods consists of a solid lower part 47 and a tubular upper part 48 in which the lower part slides to an extent limited by a transverse pin 49 in the part 48 extending through a slot 50 in the part 47 as shown in Fig. 8. Between cup-shaped collars 51, 52 on the parts 47, 48, is a spring '53, of which the strength and normal strain are such that the normal working pressure on the connecting rod is. transmitted by the spring. The connecting rods 7 7 2 are connected respectively with toothed segments-55 mounted to turn on shaft 54 in the beams 29; each segment is engaged with'a corresponding toothed segment 56 mounted on the shaft 12 of the pressing levers. A rod 24 connects each of the toothed segments 55 with the corresponding pawl'and ratchet gear 25, 26, 27 for driving the shaft 10 of under action of the pressing levers 14, the goods are raised in the same direction and then fall in the vertical direction B-C, when the pressing levers 14 return and the chain of rods 4 is free. Thus the goods travel in the trough 3 correspondingly with the angle of inclination towardthe connecting pipe 34 which serves to .conduct the prelimlnarily washed goods into the finishing and rinsing container of the lower trough 3 and into which pipe the pieces at the top of the mass of goods work their way each time the goods are raised by the chain of rods in the manner explained. The latter is fed with washing liquor from the second tank 18 In the container of this lower trough the same progression of the goods occurs, only with this difference that the movement of the goods is in the direction opposite to that which it had in the upper trough; during the movement the goods are washed clean and rinsed.

When the treatment is c0mplete, the goods are delivered through the pipe 36 and the passage of the goods through the machine is thus automatic.

Should the entry of goods of large size into the container produce a momentary stoppage whereby the pressing action of the chain of rods meets too great a resistance, the spring 15 of the corresponding connecting rods 7, 7 2 is more strongly compressed and thereby bending or breakage of parts or too great a pressure on the goods is avoided.

The angle of inclination of the troughs 3 3 can be adjusted to suit the weight of the goods under treatment and thus to suit the desired speed with which the goods travel. F or varying this angle, the angle of inclination of the beams 29 is varied but this does not vary the engagement ratio of the toothed segments 55, 56 but only the length of the respective connecting rods 7 7 This variation of length is so small that it need not be considered. The liquor tanks 18 18 may be heated by means of steam or directly.

What I claim is 1. A machine for washing laundry goods, comprising a trough, an endless pervious band mounted in said trough and adapted to carry the laundry goods and to form together with parts of the trough a container for the said goods, means for raising, pressing together and releasing from pressure the part of the said band which carries the goods in such a manner as to move over each other, press and release from ressure the said goods, means for moving orward step by step the said band, so as to turn the said goods, and means for returning to-the upper part of the said trough the liquor which flows through the said band.

2. A machine for washing laundry goods, comprising a trough, pressing members linked together out of contact with each other to form an endless band mounted in the said trough, a device for suspending the said band freely as to a part thereof and a device for supporting the said band as to another part thereof within the said trough, the said band being adapted to carry the goods and to form with the said trough a container for the said goods, means for raising, pressing together and releasing from pressure the part of the said band which carries the goods in such a manner as to move over each other, ress and release from pressure the said goo s, means for moving forward the said band, so as to turn the said goods, and means for returning to the upper part of the said trough the liquor which flows through the said band.

3. A machine for Washing laundry goods, comprising a trough, an endless pervious band, mounted in the said trough and adapted to carry the goods and to form with parts of the said trough a container for the said goods, levers mounted within the said trough, supports mounted within the said trough for a part of the said band, mechanism for moving the said levers to lift a part of the said band and to press it toward the supported part thereof, so as to press the goods resting on the band, the sald levers being returned at each stroke to normal position, means for moving forward the band at each stroke of the said levers and means for returning to. the upper part of the said trough liquor which has flowed through the said band.

4. A machine for washing laundry goods, comprising a trough, an endless pervious band mounted in the said trough and adapted to carry the goods and to form with parts of the said trough a container for the said goods, levers mounted within the said trough, supports mounted within the said trough for a part of the said band, mechanism for movin the said levers to lift a art of the said ban and to press it toward the supported part thereof, so as to press the goods resting on the band, the said levers being returned at each stroke to normal position, means for moving step by step in forward direction the said band at each backward stroke of the said levers.

5. A machine for washing laundry goods comprising a trough, an endless pervious band suspended freely as to a part thereof and supported as to another part thereof in the said trough, levers within the said trough adapted to be moved so as to raise the freely suspended part of the said band and to press it against the supported part, driving mechanism for the said levers, a pump connected with the said driving mechanism, a tank, a delivery pipe from the said pump leading to the upper part of the trough, a communication between the said trough and the said pump, the said mechanism serving to operate the said liquor from the tank to the upper part of the said trough. I

6. A machinefor washing laundr oods comprising 'a trough, an endless 0 am of rods mounted in said trough and adapted to carry the laundry goods and ,to form together with parts of the trougha container for the said goods, means for raising, pressing together and releasing from pressure the part of the said chain which carries the goods in such a manner as to move over each other, press and release from pressure the said goods, means for-movingstep by step the said chain, so as-to turn the said goods and means for returning to the upper art of the said trough the liquor which ows throlwh the said chain.

7. X machine for washing laundry goods comprising a plurality of troughs, mounted one above the other at an inclination alternating in direction from trough to trough, a pipe connecting each trough with that beneath it, a separate tank adapted to receive liquor from each trough, a separate pump for raising the liquor from each tank to the upper part of the corresponding trough, an endless pervious band mounted in each trough, levers mounted in each trough and adapted to raise a part of the said band, a separate driving device for operating the said levers in each trough, an inlet for laundry goods in the uppermost trough, an out: let for the goods from the lower trough, the

said inclination of each trough being suchthat goods therein travel from the inlet toward the outlet of the trough and through the said pipe connecting each trough with that below it.

8. A machine for washing laundry goods, comprising aplurality of troughs mounted one above the other at an inclination which alternates in direction from trough to trough, an endless pervious band mounted in each trough, levers mounted in each trough and adapted to lift the said band, a

- power driven shaft and separate driving mechanisms adapted to transmit the movement of the said shaft to the said levers in each trough.

9. A machine for washing laundry goods, comprising a plurality of troughs, mounted for raising liquor from trough and adapted to lift the said band, a

power driven shaft and separate driving connections, each com rising an elastic member, between the sai power shaft and the said levers in each trough, the said elastic connection being adapted to yield in response to stop ages in the said troughs.

10. A laun ry washing machine comprising a plurality of troughs mounted one above the other at an inclination which alternates in direction from trough to trough, an endless pervious band mounted Within each trough, levers mounted within each trough adapted to lift the said band, means whereby the inclination of each trough can be adjusted, a power driven shaft, means for transmitting the movement of the power driven shaft 'to the levers in each of the said troughs, which transmission means comprises devices the translation ratio of which is not substantially varied when the inclination of the trough is varied.

11. A laundry washing machine comprising a plurality of troughs mounted one above the other at an inclination which alternates in direction from trough to trough, an endless pervious band mounted in each trough, levers mounted in each trough for lifting the said'band, a separate tank forreceiving a separate pump 1 liquor from eachtrough,

each tank to the upper part of the corresponding trough, a power driven shaft, means for transmitting the movement of this shaft to the levers in each trough and means for actuating each of the said pumps bythe said power shaft.

12. In combination, a pervious band, means to support the band with a depending bend therein adapted to receive the goods and with one lateral margin thereof higher than the other, and means to-pre'ss one side of the bend of such band toward the other at intervals, whereby goods placed in the bend at the higher margin of the band will gravitate margin thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have name to this specification.

ALFRED HOFMANN.

toward the opposite signed my 

